Improvement in air-compressors



NLB. HARVEY. Air-Compressor.

. No. 211,510. Pate'td 1an. 21, 1879.

WITHEESEE lnVEnTnR VR o l M566 ZM-fryey,

a4-Wag UNITED STATES AT MOSES B. HARVEY, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR-COMPRESSORS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,570, dated January21, 1879 application filed December 4, 1878.

To all .whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Moses B. HARVEY, of Leavenworth, in 4the county ofLeavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Air-Compressors 5 and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, referencev being had to the annexed drawing,making a part of this specication, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

The drawing is a representation of a longitudinal vertical section of myinvention.

This invention has relation to air-compressors; and has for its objectto construct a device of the character .named that will be simple in itsparts and effective in its operation.

In compressing air to be used as a motive power, the difticultiesheretofore experienced have been the accumulation of heat unevenly,whereby one part of the machine expands and allows the air to escape,while the other portion of the machine contracts or tightens andproduces a great amount of friction, and consequently imperfect work.The valves, particularly when becoming heated to any great extent, warp,twist out of shape, t imperfectly, and cease to do their work properly,whereby only a small percentage of power spent is realized in the shapeof compressed air. It is, therefore, the purpose of this in vention toremedy the above-mentioned evils, and to constructa compressor that willrequire comparatively little power to operate it, and one in which itsvalves at each stroke are overspread with water, thereby being kept wet,cool, and tight, and lubricated, and dispensing with the usualpiston-heads, which, by becoming heated, work unevenly, heating otherparts of the machinery, as well as retaining or accumulating heat thatcannot be carried off.

The invention, therefore, consists in the novel arrangement of thecompressor and its operating parts, as will be hereinafter described,and subsequently pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the outer casing, of anysuitable material,.to the ends of which are rigidly secured cylinders BC. Through each end of the casing A is an opening, a, which registerswith a similar opening in the end of the cylinders B C, said openingbeing closed by valves b, opening inward, to receive air into thecylinders, as will be hereinafter described. Abovethe casing A is areservoir, D, in which the compressed air is stored, and whichcommunicates with the cylinders B C through passages c and short pipesd. Above the passages c are suitable valves c, opening upward, to allowthe compressed air to enter the reservoir at every alternate stroke ofthe hollow cylindrical pistons E F. These pistons fit nicely within thestationary' cylinders B C, and at their inner ends are rigidly connectedto a head, G, having a slot, f, through which passes a crank-arm, g, foroperating the pistons E F.

Any other suitable means maybe employed for operating the pistons, andthe usual fly wheel or wheels may be connected thereto, as founddesirable; and although I have shown the cylinders as being separate,but rigidly connected to the outer casing, A, it is evident that thecasin g may form a part of the cylinders B C.

Any of these modifications of my compressor may be made withoutdeparting from the gist or essence of my invention, as the sameprinciple is involved in adopting' any of the modifications enumerated.

One ofthe openings a may be provided with a trough, h, placed around thelower part of said opening in such a manner as to hold a proper amountof water, so that when the valve b opens the water will be admitted withthe air.

Placed a suitable distance from the end of the compressor is a watertank or reservoir, H, of any suitable form or construction, and ofsufficient size to hold the desired quantity of water. The tank H isprovided with a suitable faucet, z', extending out therefromsufficiently to be over the trough h and supply the same with water inquantities as the faucet is regulated. Vhen one water-tank only is usedfor both ends of the compressor the water will be required to beconducted through pipes; but I prefer two tanks, one arranged at eachend ofthe compressor.

At the under side of the reservoir D is an opening, to which is secureda cock, j, connecting with suitable pipes or other means, by which thewater is drawn off from the reservoir as it accumulates and conveyed inany direction desired. A pipe is secured to the upper part of thereservoir, Ls-illustrated at k, by which the compressed air, as it isrequired, is conveyed to the place desired.

rlhe operation of the compressor will bev readily understood from thefollowing description: The cylinders and pistons, when closed withineach other, are supposed to be filled with the required amount of waterfor operating the compressor. rlhe water, in a small stream, passes outof the tank H, through the faucet c', into the funnel h, and thereaccumulates, while the opening a is closed by the valve b of cylinder B.As the piston E is drawn out of t-he cylinder B on its backward stroke,the valve within the cylinder B is forced open. The air and accumulatedwater in the funnel pass into the cylinder, and when the piston E makesits forward stroke or closes within the cylinder B the amount of waterthus received has been forced to nd exit, and has followed the aircaught and lodged above the valve e in pipe d, and when so much has beenplaced there as will properly ll the reservoir D the same may be allowedto escape through cock j and suitable pipes, as previously described.The value of the small stream of water allowed to pass from the tank Hinto the machine will be readily understood, serving, as it does, tokeep it in good working order, lubricating and keeping cool the valvesand other portions of the compressor, as well as keeping a full supplyin the cylinders at all times, and at the same time insures afreshsupply over the valves c e, and carries off heat from any heated portionof the machine, and settles at the lowest point in the tank or reservoirD, and is afterward conveyed oil' by suitable pipes. Y

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with condensing air-res ervoir D, pipes d, and valvese, of the cylinders B G, valves b, and pistons E F, the passages oropenings a being provided with fuit nels7 by which water may beintroduced into the cylinders, substantially as and for lthe purposespecied.

In testimony that claim the above lA have hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of two witnesses.

MOSES B. HARVEY. l/Vitnesses:

FRANK BIRD, HERMAN WoLrznN.

